


Geoff's little helpers

by tinypeckers



Series: Twelve days of Ficmas [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Achievement Hunter Kids, M/M, baby au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-08 05:59:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8833093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinypeckers/pseuds/tinypeckers
Summary: Jack and Geoff let the lads (and Ryan) decorate the Christmas tree.On the first day of Ficmas,tinypeckers sent to mean angel on an Xmas tree





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, it's me  
> I was wondering if after all these months you'd like to meet...
> 
> I'm back with another daily challenge for myself... and I mean really back, like so back I ignored an assignment to ensure this got posted on December 12. <3

Geoff pressed into the cushion of the sofa. The plush fabric came around to embrace him, enveloping him in warmth. His fingers hugged the #1 Dad mug in his hand as little puffs of steam rose up. He leant forward, lips brushing the edge of the ceramic. His tongue darted out and lapped at his hot chocolate. Geoff let out a hiss as the drink singed his tongue. The mug shook as he thrust it away from him, the liquid swaying and kissing the rim. Some of it sloshed onto his hand and Geoff cried out as it sizzled against his skin. He held his hand still so that the liquid would settle, his eyes trained on the drink until it calmed. His soft breath sent the surface of the hot chocolate into ripples and Geoff prayed the drink would cool soon.

 

He looked over his mug, past his crossed feet and to the corner of the room. The toy boxes that usually resided there had been shoved aside to make room for the tree. It was still wrapped up, bound together by a strong net. The top of the tree tickled the ceiling tracing the design imprinted into the plaster. Jack crouched at the bottom of the tree, his plaid shirt hung from his body as a physical reminder of how hard he’d worked this year. Geoff couldn’t help the small smile that pulled at his lips. Jack’s shoulder was bearing the weight of the tree, his cheeks filling then deflating as he teased the tree stand with the trunk. Geoff heard when the trunk finally found its place, slotting in as Jack roared in triumph. He stayed crouched for a moment, hands slowly leaving the tree until he was sure it could stand on its own.

 

“You did it!” Geoff’s nails tapped against the side of the mug. Jack rolled his eyes, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead. He let out a breath that sent his shoulders sagging.

“Yeah,” Jack said, “no thanks to you though.” Jack bent down again to pick up something to cut the net with and as Geoff imagined cupping his shapely butt his husband’s jeans did just that. Geoff frowned as Jack stood up far too quickly.

“I was here, supporting you and stuff.” Geoff nodded. Jack shook his head at him and turned away again, looking at their tree. His head fell back as his eyes reached the top. Geoff couldn’t see them but he could imagine the joy in his husband’s eyes. Jack had found their tree in November, booked a slot to chop it down and everything. Geoff had loved that part particularly, his handsome husband dressed in plaid and chopping their tree down for his family. It would have been better if he was shirtless but hey, Geoff couldn’t have it all.

 

Jack grabbed the wire and pulled it, teasing it with the blade. As Geoff’s mouth opened to spew more smartass remarks the two men heard the front door open. The house was filled with what felt like a thousand voices in the calm they’d broken but could really only be four. Geoff’s breath caught in his throat as the lounge door handle jiggled then twisted. The door swung into the room and brought with it children. Michael was first, his face pale and sickly save for the red blossoming on his cheeks. His chin was buried beneath a scarf and his body had been wrapped in several layers. Michael’s boots dragged water across Geoff’s freshly steamed carpet. His gloved fingers snuck under his scarf to find the tiny zip to free himself. His curls had flattened at the top and Geoff couldn’t say where his hat had gone, most likely left on the floor of the entrance.

 

Ray came trailing in after him, coat already halfway unzipped and scarf hanging loosely from his shoulders. He jumped over Michael’s wet footprints in socked feet, launching himself at Jack when he saw the tree. Geoff’s fingers clenched around his mug as Ray collided with Jack’s legs so hard the man stumbled backwards. Jack held onto Ray’s shoulders, regaining his balance and sneaking his fingers under the boy’s armpits so that he could lift him up. Ray clasped his hands together as he stared at the tree.

 

Geoff’s head turned when their eldest, Ryan, hopped in. He’d shucked his jacket, scarf and hat but was fighting with the laces of his boot.

“Ryannnnn,” Geoff whined, “you were supposed to keep them out longer!” Ryan looked up, boot in hand and halfway off of his foot.

“I’m sorry, it was getting cold and Gavin needed to pee,” Ryan said. His boot popped off and dropped onto the ground. Geoff sighed and rested his mug against his chest. Ryan dropped his foot and swapped legs, hands grabbing onto the heel. Geoff watched him struggle for a moment until this boot came off as well. Ryan let it fall. He clapped his hands together, looking quite smug as his eyes were drawn to the tree. Geoff stared at him. Ryan felt the gaze burn into him and glanced back at his father. Geoff stared for a brief second longer before his eyes flicked down to the boots on the floor. His gaze shot back to Ryan. Ryan bent to grab the boots, standing and then slowly inching out of the room.

 

During their little exchange, Michael had snuck over to Geoff’s chair. His scarf was gone, dumped on the floor along with his jacket. He pressed his chin into the armrest, eyes glued to the cooling hot chocolate in Geoff’s mug.

“No.” Geoff pressed his finger into Michael’s nose, flattening it before releasing it. Michael watched it go, eyes flicking up to Geoff’s and bottom lip beginning to push outwards. Geoff shifted his mug further from Michael. The boy’s lip began to wobble and Geoff tore his gaze away.

“Jack, I’m being assaulted.” Geoff held his free hand in front of Michael’s face, hiding the cute behind spread fingers. Jack spun on his heel making Ray giggle as he swung around.

“Michael, leave Dad alone. You’ve had a hot chocolate today so no more,” Jack said. Michael folded his arms over his chest, making a small ‘hmph’ noise as he frowned up at his papa.

 

Ryan returned with Gavin in tow, both stripped of their outerwear. Gavin performed a little dance when he saw the tree, feet hammering on the ground and hands shaking side to side.

“Tree! Ry-bread, the tree!” Gavin grabbed his brother’s hand and dragged him forward, mouth hanging open as he craned his neck to look at the top. “Papa, the dec’rations look poopoo.”

“They’re not decorations, Gav. It’s what the tree came in.” Jack crouched down, moving Ray onto his lap as Gavin looked to Ryan.

“You said it would be dec’rated,” Gavin said and Ryan shrugged.

“You wanted to come back too early,” he said. Gavin’s mouth fell open in a silent gasp. Gavin yanked on Ryan’s hand again, dashing towards the door.

“Out, out – the tree needs to be dec’rated!” Gavin clutched Michael’s shoulder and tried to drag him as well.

 

“Gav, it’s all right. It’s better now, we can all decorate it together.” Jack let Ray hop off of his lap. He watched as Michael yanked his shoulder away from Gavin, knocking his brother back and scowling. He could feel Geoff’s gaze pierce into him like the tattoo needle had done to his arm a few years earlier. The tree was one of Geoff’s favourite parts of Christmas and while Jack put it up, it was always Geoff who led the decorating team. When Ryan was five they’d given him the chance to help and Geoff had never let Jack forget the great ‘mass moo murder’ Christmas. The younger boys had never been given the chance and now at 4 years old Jack thought it was a great time to get them involved. They couldn’t all be as creepy as Ryan, right?

 

“Hey Dad, you sure you want us to decorate?” Ryan perched on the edge of Geoff’s armchair, smirking down at his father. Geoff’s eye was twitching and Ryan couldn’t wait to put a bauble on the wrong branch or wrap the tinsel on the wrong levels.

“I guess we could decorate together,” Geoff said. Geoff’s knuckles were white around his mug, the mere thought of tiny hands holding then dropping his expensive baubles enough to make him want to scream but he mustered a smile because everyone was looking at him. Jack clapped his hand together, tucking the knife into to the net again. All the boys gathered around his feet. When the net first broke, nothing happened.

“It broke,” Ray said. Jack shook his head down at him, pinching the netting between two fingers.

“Ready?” Jack asked the boys.

“Yes!” They all cried in unison, save for Ryan who simply rolled his eyes at his father and pulled out his phone.

 

Jack pulled the netting away and in an instant the tree expanded, reaching out with its prickly fingers to tickle the boys. Ray screeched, latching onto Jack’s legs. Gavin wrapped his arms around Michael’s shoulders. He squeezed them so tightly Michael made a little squeak. Ryan barely glanced up from his screen. Jack chuckled and even Geoff snickered from where he sat. He wished he’d recorded it but his phone was just out of arm’s reach and nobody could pry him from the couch.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Jack gushed. He reached out to caress the branches.

“It’s naked,” Michael said. Geoff guffawed, blowing into his hot chocolate and spilling it over his finger. Michael turned at the sound. He wrestled himself out of Gavin’s hold and, before Geoff could just wipe it away, he’d rushed over and licked the chocolate treat from Geoff’s hand.

“Michael!” Jack placed his hands onto his hips. Michael wiped his mouth with a cheeky grin.

 

“Let’s get dec’rating!” Gavin ran straight to the boxes Geoff had brought down earlier. Gavin’s sixth sense for destruction meant he headed to the most expensive baubles Geoff owned.

“No, not those ones,” Geoff said. Gavin paused with his fingers brushing the cardboard.

“Why not?” Gavin pulled at the box, popping it open and peering inside.

“They’re broken,” Geoff said. Gavin pulled a bauble out, turning it around in his hand.

“Not,” Gavin said. He held the bauble up for Geoff to see and Geoff’s breath stopped.

“Not yet,” Geoff said. He was so thankful when Jack took the bauble from Gavin’s hands, slipping it back into the box.

“How about we decorate the tree with these ones?” Jack picked up a different box, one that was overflowing with colourful decorations of all different shapes and sizes.

 

Gavin didn’t hesitate to switch boxes, ripping the second apart and pulling out a whole variety of cheap decorations Geoff had bought in Ryan’s younger years. Among them were some of Ryan’s popsicle stick and pipe cleaner creations, slathered in glue and barely holding it together.

“Oh look,” Ryan lifted a brown fluffy object out of the box, “it’s my cow head.” He frowned when Jack took it off of him, slipping it into his trouser pocket and grimacing.

“Maybe not that one,” Jack said. He lifted a popsicle photo-frame out instead, cooing when his thumb caressed the tiny image of 4-year-old Ryan smiling back at him.

“Who that?” Ray jabbed his finger onto the image, crinkling the unprotected paper. Jack moved it from his reach.

 

“That’s Ryan,” Jack said. He looked from the picture of his small, smiley son to the big, brooding boy he’d grown into. Ryan was rummaging through the boxes, dodging every ornament Gavin thrust into his face and using his elbows to keep Michael at bay.

“S’not.” Ray’s little nose crinkled as he stared at the boy in the photo, “too little.”

“That’s what he looked like at your age.” Jack slid the ornament onto the tree, right in the middle so that he’d always know where it was. It was just high enough that none of the lads could tear it down.

“Will I get big too?” Ray was watching Ryan now, his face unreadable to Jack.

“Hopefully all of you lads will get big and strong,” Jack said.

“No, don’t want to be big!” Ray curled himself into a ball, holding onto his toes and shaking his head.

 

Jack looked to Geoff for help but the other man was concentrating on the other two lads and Ryan. Gavin had put at least two or three baubles onto every lower branch and he and Michael were smacking each other out of the way to try and decorate the higher ones. Ryan was collecting all of his cow-related ornaments, cramming them into his jacket pockets so that Jack couldn’t steal them.

“Don’t worry Ray, I’ll make sure you don’t get too big.” Jack patted his son’s back. If he had his own way none of the lads would grow at all and Ryan would never hit his teenage years.

“Pwomise?” Ray held out his shaking pinkie. Jack smiled and linked their fingers, shaking them for good measure.

“I promise,” Jack said, “now let’s get this tree all dressed up, yeah?” Ray beamed back up at him.

 

“Wait,” Geoff cried out as Jack reached for another bauble, “you forgot the lights.” He pointed to the bundle of wires he’d so lovingly dumped at the bottom of his armchair. Jack surveyed them with pursed lips and hands on his hips. He nodded to his husband.

“Well, go on then – get untangling,” Jack said. Geoff shook his head.

“No, I’m too comfy. Get Ryan to do it.” Geoff sipped at his hot chocolate as Ryan scoffed.

“I’m good, thanks.” Ryan took his phone back out of his pocket and began to scroll.

“I do it!” Michael offered, scooping up the wires and tangling them even more.

“Actually, I’ve got it.” Geoff placed his mug onto the side table and tugged at the ball of wires. Michael didn’t let go so easily though, pulling back. Geoff yanked harder and Michael came with them. His face hovered above Geoff’s mug and he slowly let Geoff pry the lights away from him as he snuck another sip of the hot chocolate. Geoff huffed, bit back a curse word and nudged Michael away.

 

After he’d untangled the lights and thrown them at Jack, Geoff barely moved. He let everyone else decorate, merely pointing his finger and shouting suggestions at the boys as they bustled around the tree. Ryan took care of most of the higher branches, cramming a couple of cow ornaments around the back that he thought Geoff didn’t see. But Geoff saw, as fathers see everything, and he made sure Jack took them down just as quickly. Gavin was quite content to load the lower branches up with more and more decorations. The top was almost as beautifully decorated as Geoff would have made it himself but the bottom was a mess of homemade and dollar tree baubles where every colour clashed and most were broken.

 

Michael was sat upon Jack’s shoulders, treating each bauble his Papa handed to him with surprising care. His little tongue was dancing between his lips as Jack leaned forward to get him closer to the tree. Michael pushed each bauble on as far as they could go to make sure they didn’t fall off and bonk his brothers on their heads. Ray was grabbing ornaments for himself but using Ryan’s linked fingers as a human step ladder. He clawed at Ryan’s shoulder with one hand and held the ornament with the other as his brother slowly lifted him upwards.

“You’re all right, Ray. I’m not going to let you fall.” Ryan stood still for his brother as he grabbed one of the branches and threaded it through the little string. Ray held onto the branch for a moment and looked around the room. He spied some of the age-rated games Geoff wouldn’t let him play on top of a cabinet and some water in a cool skull-shaped bottle. He let go and Ryan slowly eased him down.

“I don’t mind being big, ac’ully.” Ray said as he stepped off of Ryan’s hand. He didn’t see Jack’s sad little look.

 

When the tree was done, Geoff (in his head, of course) referred to the bottom half as the part that had been decorated by elves on crack and the top half to the part that Santa Claus eventually intervened and corrected. It was ugly, over-crowded and tacky but Geoff decided that it was kind of beautiful because of that. It looked so close to Ryan’s first time decorating the tree that he almost, but definitely didn’t, tear up at the thought of all of his boys growing up and getting less excited about Christmas. There was only one thing left to do, though, and the top of the tree looked painfully naked compared to the rest.

 

Jack had hoisted Michael on one shoulder and Gavin on the other. His arms clung to their thighs like seatbelts and the boys held onto his hair with one hand. Ray was standing on Ryan’s shoulders, supported by his brother’s hands on his hips. Ryan had pulled an armchair close to the tree and his feet were forming indents in the armrest so that Ray could reach the top. Ray held onto one of the angel’s wings while Michael held the other, Gavin barely touching the poor angel’s skirt. Together they placed her on the top of the tree and Geoff was so overwhelmed by the sweetness of it all that he didn’t have enough room to be mad he’d blurred the picture he tried to take on his phone.

 

As he watched his family climb down from their weird gymnastics position, Geoff sighed and reached for his mug. He lifted it to his lips, the ceramic edge now cold to touch. He lifted the mug and tilted it, opening his mouth to await the cold but still wonderful liquid. Yet it never came and as Geoff pulled the mug from his lips to stare quizzically into it he heard Michael snicker from across the room. Geoff huffed… and then burst into laughter. This, he decided, would be their best Christmas yet.


End file.
